|
Nearly everything we do leaves behind some kind of solid waste.
People create garbage, or municipal waste, consisting mainly of
paper, yard trimmings, glass, and other materials. Factories create
both solid waste and hazardous waste (yes, there's a difference).
EPA regulates all waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA). When hazardous waste isn't handled properly, EPA cleans
it up under the Superfund Act. Learn about how to reduce what we
leave behind, where it goes, how waste affects the environment,
and the laws that regulate waste and its cleanup.
About Superfund
This page provides an overview of the Superfund program, highlights key steps
in the Superfund cleanup process, explains how the program is enforced, describes
EPA's Superfund offices, and links to other EPA hazardous-waste programs.
www.epa.gov/superfund/about.htm
Cleanup for Kids 
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) designed this site to
teach you about oil spills and other hazardous chemical accidents. You will
find information about how oil spills can occur and how NOAA works to help
clean them up. You'll also find experiments you can do to demonstrate to
others the hazards of oil spills.
response.restoration.noaa.gov/kids/kids.html
Superfund:
Hazardous Substance and Hazardous Waste
This site provides useful information on hazardous chemicals, different types
of waste materials and how to properly dispose of them.
www.epa.gov/superfund/students/clas_act/haz-ed/ff_01.htm
Volunteer
for Change (PDF, 24pp, 567K About PDF )
This guide to environmental community service features the ABCs of volunteering
plus projects on reuse, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste.
(EPA530-K-01-002)
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/docs/vol4chng.pdf
Consumer's Handbook
for Reducing Solid Waste
Discover why trash is a problem, why recycling is useful, and what you can
do!
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/reduce/catbook.htm
Municipal Solid Waste
in the United States
What happens to our trash? This report provides the latest facts and figures
on municipal solid waste generation, recycling, and disposal in the United
States, based on data collected from 1960 through 2000.
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/msw99.htm
Recycling
Because there's not one simple remedy for our trash problem, this site explains
and explores why we need to consider a combination of solutions to manage
it. Reducing and reusing waste, recycling, burning trash for energy recovery,
and land filling are all parts of the solution.
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/recycle.htm
Recycling Hotline
Type in your ZIP code or find your State on a map to locate recycling centers
in your community for all types of recyclables.
washingtondc.earth911.org/usa/master.asp
Trash
Goes to School - Activities
A range of activities and projects for learning about
solid
waste
and
recycling. Covers reduction, recycling, composting,
incineration,
landfills and risk.
cwmi.css.cornell.edu/TrashGoesToSchool/Activities9-12.html
Volunteer
for Change (PDF, 24pp, 567K About PDF )
This guide to environmental community service features the ABCs of volunteering
plus projects on reuse, recycling, composting, and household hazardous waste.
(EPA530-K-01-002)
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/docs/vol4chng.pdf
Where Can I Take My Computer?
Web sites and organizations
that can provide information on opportunities for donating and
recycling computers and other electronics.
http://www.epa.gov/epr/products/computers.html
Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)
Also known as the Superfund Act, CERCLA provides funding to clean up uncontrolled
or abandoned hazardous waste sites, as well as accidents, spills, and other
emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment.
www.epa.gov/region5/defs/html/cercla.htm
Envirofacts:
EPA's Data Warehouse
A national information system that provides an integrated, single point of
access to data extracted from six major EPA databases. Find data on hazardous
waste sites by zip code, county, city, or state.
www.epa.gov/enviro
Municipal Solid Waste
in the United States
What happens to our trash? This report provides the latest facts and figures
on municipal solid waste generation, recycling, and disposal in the United
States, based on data collected from 1960 through 2000.
www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/msw99.htm
Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
RCRA gives EPA the authority to control the generation, transportation, treatment,
storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. It also establishes a framework to
manage solid waste.
www.epa.gov/region5/defs/html/rcra.htm
Window to My
Environment
This interactive map enables you to see land use and environmental conditions
for your community, including local population density, release of toxic substances,
Superfund sites, and environmental monitoring stations.
www.epa.gov/enviro/wme
|
